He received only 49.1% of the vote, coming in second to Utah House Rep. Mike Kennedy, who received 50.9% of the votes. Unless one candidate wins 60% of the votes outright at the convention, the Utah GOP holds successive caucus rounds to determine the two candidates who will compete in a primary race.

The fact that Romney, a perennial political player with the weight of the establishment GOP behind him, failed to win the Republican nomination outright is revealing. It shows that even in conservative Utah, Romney’s brand is not as strong as one might expect. Of course, Romney is not really a conservative – his crowning achievement as a governor was forcing socialized healthcare down the throats of the citizens of Massachusetts.

Romney, true to form, responded to his tough day like the political pawn he is.

“This is terrific for the people of Utah, and I really want to thank the delegates who stayed so late to give me the kind of boost that I got here today,” Romney said after the voting was finished. “We’re going to have a good primary.”

At the convention, Romney continued his wishy-washy support for President Trump, whom he actively campaigned against after Trump won the nomination in 2016.

“In terms of the President’s policies, in this first year, we’re pretty much on the same page,” Romney said. “He did not pursue the 45% tariff on all foreign goods that I think would have been problematic for the economy; but he has put in place a tax proposal that is going to get the economy going better; he’s been a person who has de-regulated a good portion of the economy — a good thing.”

“If he says things that I think are off the mark in a serious way, I’ll point that out,” he continued. “I think the President recognizes that I’m someone who calls them like I see them, and I appreciate that as well.”

In Mitt Romney’s mind, he “calls them like he sees them,” but Trump is off base and out of touch. Romney also rebuked the idea he was the “Goliath” of the primary.

“I’m not Goliath,” he said. “I’m David, and Washington D.C. is Goliath.”

What a clown. Does anyone actually believe this cringeworthy nonsense? Mitt Romney, the guy who embodies everything that middle-American Republican voters rejected just two years ago, is going to fight the establishment “Goliath” in Washington?

Ultimately it will be up to the people of Utah to decide.

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